Automatic hard and soft water supply plant



r. s. HARRIS. 'AUTOMATIC HARD AND SOFT WATER SUPPLY PLANT APPLICATION FILED NOV-24, 1920.

Pand 001;. 24,1922;

'Hamm lll/111,111

Patented (het. Z4, 1922.

@FFHQEO THADDEUS S. HARRIS, F WAVERLY, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC HARD AND SOFT WATER SUPPLY PLANT.

Application led November 24, 1920. Serial No. 426,329.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, THADDEUs S. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Waverly, in the county of Morgan and State of lllinoi's, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Hard and Soft Water Supply Plants, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. .x

My invention relates to an automatic pumping plant in which one pump is utilized to automatically draw two kinds of vwater from two separate sources and deliver it to corresponding pipes or storage systems.

The automatic control of the intake to and the discharge fromthe pump is based upon the maintenance of a different range of pressures in the two -discharge systems, the maximum limit of` one, being approximately the minimum limit of the other.

The preferable form of my invention `is described in the following specification, but l claim the right without departing from the spirit of the invention to reverse the connections to the sources of water so that vthe pump is normally connected to the cistern instead of the well as described herein.-

As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which isa top plan view, and horizontal section of the complete plant, l is a pump of the usual type, driven by an electric' motor 2. 3 is a three-way valvei placed in the intake to the pump so that the pump is connected to the well when the valve 3 is shifted in one direction, and to the cistern or 'other source of water when the valve 3 is shifted in the opposite direction. Valve 3 is of the type which does not at anytime entirely cut off both the cistern and the well. In its normal position as shown the pump is connected to the well. The valve 3 is provided with a lever 11 by which it is operated as described herein.

The discharge line from the pump divides into two pipe lines 5 and 6. Discharge line 5 connects t'o the intake end of a valve shifter which comprises a central tube or barrel 7, va piston 8, and a piston rod 9, which is operably connected by link 10 to the lever 11 of three way valve 3.

An opening adjacent to the discharge end of cylinder 7 is connected by a pipe line with a storage tank 14. A check valve 13 in this pipe line prevents a flow of the water from the tank when the ber S'Which is as nearly water tight in cylinder 7 as it is practical to make a freely movable disc, and a guide member 24 which is perforated to allow a free How of water when the diaphragm memberis moved beyond the end of the cylinder 7.

A spring member 12 holds the piston normally inthe position shown, where the threeway valve connects the pump to the well. The three-way valve is shifted to connect the pump to the cisternoiiiy at such times as the discharge from the pump is caused to pass through the cylinder 9.

Discharge line 6 is connected by a branch pipe line with a faucet 16, and then is connected to an automatic pressure controlled valve 19, a check valve 17 being placed in the line between valve 19 and the line leading to the faucet.

Automatic pressure valve 19 is also connected to tank 2O by discharge opening 26. This valve causes the flow of water to tank 20 tobe out off when the pressure on diaphragm29 reaches a predetermined maximum for this discharge line, which maximum constitutes approximately the minimum pressure that is maintained in tank 14.

Valve 19 consists of an inlet chamber 25, a discharge opening 26, diaphragm supporting ianges 27 and 28, and a diaphragm 29 which is clamped between the Iianges 27 and 28. The valve proper 36 is attached by means of a rod 35, blocks 30 and a liexiblesupport 34 to thediaphragm 29.

A disc 31 communicates the pressure of spring 32 to the diaphragm and adjusting screw 33 affords means for determining the degree -of pressure required to close valve 36. When valve 36 is brought within a short distance of its seat the increase of pressure due to the obstructed passage causes the iexible support 34 to become deflected and the valve closes sharply and without any pulsating action. When valve 36 is completely closed the increase of pressure in line 6 causes it to remain closed until a considerable decrease in pressure in tank 20 causes diaphra 29 to be moved b spring 32 to engage t e base of valve rody 35 and lift valve 36. The iiexible sup ort 34 then regains its normal position whic throws the valve wide open, reducing the pressure in pipe 6 to thatexisting in tank 20.

automatic electric pressure switch 18, of any suitable type is connectedto the discharge arm 6 its contacts being open except when theA pressure inline 6 has fallen to a predetermined minimum, which causes the circuit to be closed through the motor 2 and the pump to be put in operation.

Switch 18 is preferably set to break the circuit when the pressure in line 6 has reached a point somewhat in excess of the pressure at which valve 19 closes, but not in excess of the minimum pressure in tank 14.

Asecond automatic electric pressure switch l5 is connected to the discharge line passing to tank 14 and between valve 13 and tank 14. This switch is' set to close the circuit when the pressure in tank 14 falls to a predetermined minimum which is somewhat above the pressure at which valve 19 closes. The switch 15 breaks the circuit to motor when the pressure has reached a predetermined maximum, which is considerably above the maximum pressure in tank 20.

One 'terminal of each of switchesll and 18 is connected to a main source of current 21. The remaining terminal of each switch is connected by wire 22 to oneterminal of the motor. The other motor terminal is connected to main 23.

The operation of this pumping plant is as follows:

supposing the pressure in tank l2() falls below the predetermined minimum causing valve'19 to open and switch 18 to close. The circuit is completed through motor 2 and the pump put in operation, drawing water from the well. Since the pressure in -tank 14 is considerably in excess of that in tank 20, thepump discharges into tank 2O until its pressure rises to a` point where Valve 19 closes and switch 18 quickly after, opens and stops the pump.

In case the pressure in tank 14 falls below its predetermined minimum the switch 15 closes and puts the pump in operation. IVater is, at first, drawn from the well as before. If the pressure in tank 20'is near its maximum, valve 19 is closed and the discharge from pump must go through discharge line 5 to the valve shifter, driving piston 8 before it until the opening to tank 14 isuncovered and the valve 3 shifted to connect the cistern to the pump. Cistern water is then delivered to tank 14 until the.

pressure rises to the point at which switch 415 opens and stops the motor and pump. IVhen the flow of water through cylinder 9 ceases the leakage past piston 8 allows the piston and arm 11 to be moved to their normal pov sition by the tension of spring 12.

If, when switch 15 closes and puts the Jump 1n operation, the pressure 1n tank 20 1s considerably below its maximum. valve 1Q is open and well Water is discharged into tank 20 until the increased pressure causes valve 19 to close. The discharge is' then forced to tank 14 through valve shifter cylin- -der 7 forcing piston 8 to move valve 3 to connect the pump with the cistern as previously described.

A check valve 17 revents the discharge of water from the tanlf v20 in case the pressure in line 6 falls below the preure in tank 20. So, if faucet 16 is opened the pressure in discharge line 6 immediately falls until switch 18 closes, putting the pump in operation, drawing well water and discharging it through the faucet 16. IVhen faucet 16 is closed the pressure immediately rises causing switch 18 to open, unless valve 19 is open, in

which case, well water1 is discharged into tank 20 until the increased pressure causes valve 19 to close and switch 18 to open stopping the motor and pump.

If, when the pump is already in operation discharging into tank 14, the faucet 16 is opened orl valve 19 opens, then the pressure in discharge line 5 immediately drops allowing piston 8 to be moved by spring 12 to shift the valve 3 to -connect the well to the pump, and the discharge is through faucet 16 or valve 19, until they close when the discharge is again forced through cylinder 9, to shift the valve 3 to again connect the well to the pump.

The system is of course operable with switch 15 eliminated, but the fresh water faucet 1 6 is thereby rendered almost useless.

If switch 15 is eliminated, then every time faucet 16 is opened to operate the pump to draw fresh well water, it is necessary to clear the pump and adjacent pipes of cistern water before obtaining pure well water.

In case switch 15 is not used, upon closing the faucet the pump continues to pump until the pressure in tank 14 is brought to its maximum pressure, which is' the cutting out point of switch 18, which is materially above that pressure which is v,the closing point. of valve 19. Thiscauses the pump to always become filled with cistern water before it ceases to operate.

By using switch 15 and setting its point of closing atorabove the point at which switch 18 opens, `a pressure is constantly maintained in tank 14 which is in excess of the cutting out point of switch 18. Then it 1s only necessary to clear the pump and pipes of cistern water once .after each time that tank 14 has been filled, for on closing the faucet the pressure rises only sufficiently to open switch 18 which stops the pump while still drawing well water. Consequently the next time the faucet is opened pure well water is obtained at once.

I claim:

1. In an automatic Wafer Qnnnlv nlnn hard water and soft` nassen? Y three-Way valve, a Valve shifter which coniprises a cylinder with an intake pori ai one end, and a discharge port ai the opposite end, a siiding piunger valve in said cylinder, a plunger rod which is operaloly connected with said three-Way valve, a spring that normaliy holds said sliding plunger valve insuch position thai, the passage beiween said intake port and said discharge port is closed, a passage from said intaire per io the inea-ire chamber of a pressure actuaied 'va-ive, said valve comprising an intake chamber, a discharge chamber, an opening between said chambers, a Valve in said opening, a diaphragrn chamber, which communicates with said discharge chamber, a diaphragm across said diaphragm chamber, a spring which engagesthai side of diaphragm which is not siilojec'J io the pressure or the discharge chamber of said valve and a exible connection between said Valve and said diaphragm.

2. lin an vautomatic hard and soft Water suppiy plant, `the combination of a valve shifter comprising a cylinder,a sliding plunger valve in said cylinder, an intake port4 at one end of said cylinder, a discharge port at che othen end of said cylinder, a plunger rod, a three-Way vaive which is operabiy connecied to said plunger-'roda spring dis- 3c posed to normally hold said plunger Valve in such position than `he passage be'fween said intake pori and said dischargepori is closed, a second discharge pori which is conneced-by a passage'wighsaid inaake por* fr? the valve's'hiiter, a valve in said second charge pori, a movable member, which is subject to 'the approximate discharge pres` sure on one'side and to the pressure o spring on the opposite side, and which is 4o operabiy connected 'to said discharge Vaiv v 3. The combination ci" a three-'way va and a Valve shifter which comprises a cyir der adapced to be connected in a discharf i line from a pump, an intake opening and a discharge opening in said cyiinder, a siiding plunger-valve in said cylinder, said siiding plunger vaive being operahly connected 'to said three-Wayyalye and being so disposed tha ie is adapted to move in ei'zher direction under the inuence of the differing pressures in Aehe iinrnediacely adjoining eX- ternai portions of the discharge iine.

THADDEUS S. HARRLTS. 

